be-002157-kd 00998
type: RecordSet
archival history: In 1941, a Jewish family from Antwerp entrusted this coffee set to Leen, Mie and Tinus Vanderhoydonck of Wijchmaal, Limburg, for safekeeping. When the set was not collected after the war, Leen, Mie and Tinus' nephew Godfried (Frie) Ceyssens stored it in a specially made display case, hoping that the rightful claimants would one day come forward. Godfried passed away in 2013. In late 2023, Godfried's children launched an investigation into the original owner of the tableware. Two Jewish families were identified, but unfortunately the exact owner could not be determined. In 2024, the Ceyssens family decided on a long term loan to Kazerne Dossin. Potential claimants may contact Kazerne Dossin at any time to discuss their claim.
biographical history: In the early afternoon of 18 January 1941 a train carried 261 Jewish men, women and children from Antwerp to Limburg. This was neither the first nor the last such convoy to leave from the Antwerp south train station. In total, between 21 December 1940 and 12 February 1941, 3293 foreigners (mainly Jews) from Antwerp were relocated to Limburg by the Nazis. Nine transports took them to 35 different municipalities. Each of the trains halted in Hasselt, where the Antwerpians were awaited by a representative of the province of Limburg as well as the mayors of the municipalities where they were to be housed. The reason for this relocation remains unclear, but it is generally explained as a protective measure to secure the Antwerp harbor. On 18 January 1941, one of the dignitaries awaiting the train in Hasselt was Frans Driesen, mayor of Wijchmaal (today part of Peer). After subsequent stops in Zonhoven, Houthalen and Helchteren, the convoy arrived in Wijchmaal at 8 PM. There, twenty Jewish men, women and children exited the train. The group consisted of Rywka Bombach and her son Herz Kanarek (6 years old), Arbe and Rachela Koral-Vogel with their son Kurt (4 years old), Aron and Emma Muhlstein-Ullmann with their daughter Renée (1,5 years old) and Aron’s sister Reisel Muhlstein, Jacheskel and Jochwed Neuss-Rothenberg, Sipra Ginzburg and her adult daughter Estera Tencer, and singles Eide Blechaite, Simon Blutental and Rachel Brand. Mayor Driesen had the group initially housed at a café and hotel at Spoorwegstraat, owned by the Gijbels-Jansen family. After two days, the group was split up. Some were moved to the Geys family farm at ‘de Dijk’ [the Dyke] in Wijchmaal, while others were transferred to a house at Achtzaligheden. The Jewish expellees from Antwerp would remain there until Autumn 1941. To keep track of them, the people had to report at the town hall daily. While in Wijchmaal, the Jewish Antwerpians continued to practice their rituals and religion. On Shabbat they req…
location of originals: Photos: Ceyssens family, Private collection
physical characteristics and technical requirements: Several objects that are part of the tableware show cracks and fractures.
publication note: PEETERS Martin, Wijchmaal in Oorlogstijd (1939-1945), Wijchmaal, 1991.
accruals: No further accruals are to be expected.
conditions of access: Contact Kazerne Dossin Research Centre: archives@kazernedossin.eu
conditions of use: Contact Kazerne Dossin Research Centre: archives@kazernedossin.eu
has beginning date: 1920-01-01
has end date: 1945-12-31
has or had holder: be-002157
has or had subject: 800
has record set type: Collection
identifier: KD_00998
record resource extent: 11 digitised images (14 objects and 4 photos)
results or resulted from: 1
scope and content: This collection contains: three wartime photos of Leen, Mie and Tinus Vanderhoydonck at their family farm in Wijchmaal, province of Limburg ; a Kerag porcelain coffee set which belonged to either the Koral-Vogel or the Muhlstein-Ullmann family, consisting of a coffee pot, a milk jug, a sugar bowl, and five cups with plates, all depicting scenes from the Old Testament ; a showcase crafted post-war by Godfried (Frie) Ceyssens to store the coffee set ; a post-war photo of Godfried (Frie) Ceyssens on a motorcycle.
title: Vanderhoydonck family. Collection